TRICKS

"First love is only a little foolishness and a lot of curiosity." - George Barnard Shaw

Who was to blame? Herself? Her idiotic-but oh to cocky-father? The stupid guys wearing black suits who thought they could pull it off? Or worst of all, the blue eyed God-sent who she wished to ravish with her bare hands.

The answer: All of them.

- - - -

"Gabriella! Get down these stairs right this second!" Her mother's screaming voice called for her.

With an aggravated sigh, the brown haired beauty stepped out of her bedroom and walked down the stairs in a ladylike manner. "You called?" she raised an eyebrow sarcastically.

Melanie Montez rolled her eyes with a grin, "Very funny, the car's waiting for you."

She glanced out the window and spotted two black limos waiting for them. "Aren't we riding together?"

"No, your father thought it would be better if you had your own separate chauffeur. That way you get a little more privacy and you'll arrive alone."

"And the point of this is..."

Melanie ushered her forward, out the door where her father was waiting to leave. "You'll descend the stairs to the Ball alone and we'll have a surprise for you."

"Oh wonderful, the joy."

- - - -

"Presenting Ms Gabriella Anita Elizabeth Carla Montez."

The crowd of well dressed people turned again, awaiting her appearance. The men's black suits turning fit, and the women's long flowing dresses swirling around.

The brunette walked out onto the arrival ground at the top of the stairs. She was wearing a long nude coloured dress that fit well on her chest and twisted around elegantly from the waist down. Her hair was up in a scruffy-like bun, a few curls falling down beside her faintly touched face. A black clip in the shape of a flower was decorating her hairstyle and her lips were covered with a light peach lipstick, her nails covered in black lacquer.

As she smiled and started to slowly descend the stairs, she failed to notice a handsome man walking over to the end of the railing.

When she finally reached the bottom step, her father walked over, placing a hand on the high of her back and gently turning her around, "Sweetie, this is Troy Bolton."

She glanced at the young man, who appeared her age, wearing a dark black suit, in a way she could only say was 'sexy', that made his bright blue eyes stand out even more.

"Hi, nice to meet you."

Gabriella smiled at him, a smirk almost peeking through the sides of her mouth, "You're my surprise?" She raised an eyebrow.

"I guess so," he shrugged.

She pushed her father aside and whispered in his ear, "Thank you," It was like a prayer.

"Don't get too excited, he works for me. I only chose him to make you tonight, but not tonight."

The petite young woman looked over at her date again and bit her bottom lip, "Urgh, whatever."

She walked back to him and pulled his hand, "I want to dance."

Troy smiled, "Aren't I supposed to lead?"

"And you're going to, Captain Obvious." She rolled her eyes with a small giggle and he had to admit he already liked that quality about her.

A slow song came on and they found themselves in the middle of the whole room. Troy placed a hand on the low of her back and the other in the small space between her shoulder and upper back, pulling her closer under her arm with his. Gabriella copied his actions but placed her hands on his shoulders.

"So, you work for my dad?"

"Yes, why do you ask?"

She shrugged and moved her hands to clasp behind his neck. "No reason really, just curious."

Troy nodded, "Let me guess something about you..."

She grinned at the game, "Okay, and if you win I'll tell you something else about me."

"You didn't really want to come tonight, but you saw me and changed your mind completely."

"Precisely. How did you-"

He smiled, "I'm good at reading people. Now, what's my gift?"

Gabriella licked her bottom lip and bit it, seeing his eyes flicker down to her lips and linger there for a second. She leaned closer and whispered huskily in his ear,

"I'm a virgin." She raised an eyebrow sugestively and his eyes quickly moved back to hers at her words with a gulp. She let a small shriek escape her lips and he suddenly dipped her. She smirked and laughed when she popped back up and was nose-to-nose with him.

The crowd smiled and clapped.

"Do you want to get out of here?"

She nodded eagerly, "More than anything."

- - - -

"You do know that your father is going to kill me?"

She shook her head, "No, he won't. You're the hottest one he's got on his team."

Troy chuckled, "Smooth,"

Gabriella smiled and shut her hotel room door behind her, turning the lock. Swirling around, she pushed Troy down onto her double bed. Grabbing the clip from her hair she pulled it out, letting her dark curls fall down on her shoulders.

Walking over to him, she climbed on the bed, her thighs resting on the insides of his own. Leaning down, she grasped the back of his neck and he leaned forward, his hands running up and down her back. The kiss wasn't hurried and rough, but passionate and heated. His right hand moved lower down to cup her ass, his fingers dragging her dress up a little to expose her thigh, and running his hand over her olive flesh softly.

Gabriella ran a hand through her curls before leaning down again and pressing her lips to his own roughly this time around. His tongue licked her bottom lip and she excitedly granted him access into her mouth.

She smiled in the kiss as his hand moved up her back to the zip of her dress, pulling the tiny metal opening down an inch.

Lost in themselves and the heat of the moment, in took a short second for the door to break open and for two guys dressed in black suits to enter the room, one moving to guard the passage through to the hallway.

The brunette moved to sit up, still on Troy's lap, but suddenly got pulled up by the other man. "What the fuck are you doing?!" she screamed, her small hands wrestling against his chest.

She quickly got spun around and into someone elses arms. A pair of arms that she had previously been held in.

Troy's arms. But this time, it was different. He wasn't kissing her. He wasn't smiling at her. Instead, he was holding a cold, steel and heavy object against her temple. A gun.

She closed her eyes softly, a single tear falling down her cheek as she realised that she had been played.

What did you really think? :s

-Jess, xx.